Gifts and Sacrifices: Book 3: Part 1
by ThickerThanLove
Summary: Celina's seen what Buddi and Sunni are capable of. So now she removes an extra ace from her sleeve...one that plays with the heart. R&R PLEASE!
1. Home

Gifts and Sacrifices

Into the Woods

Part One: Homesickness

Chapter One: Home

Ursa walked through the halls, musing over last night's events. She still found it hard to believe her child had taken on an entire army, planned everything and won. He was indeed Barbic, in the purest sense of the word. She smiled to herself. But he was also a child.

She thought back to the night before, or actually the early morning. He'd told them, filled them in and then laid down in her arms and closed his eyes. He'd been asleep in minutes. Ursa had dismissed herself from the others and carried him upstairs. He had stirred a bit but hadn't woken up.

As Ursa wandered about, her thoughts drifted back to the early morning hours…

* * *

Buddi, his willpower to stay awake finally extinguished, leaned back into Ursa's warm arms and closed his eyes. 

Ursa smiled at him. He curled into a ball and nuzzled deeper into her arms, oblivious to the arguing going on, the shouts and disbelief. The…profanity.

Ursa had never heard so many curses at once, mainly from Ryo. He was arguing with Gritty but that was nothing new. But Ursa pulled Buddi closer to her, wrapping her arm around his head. Grubbi caught her with his eye and smiled. She gave him a delicate smile back and slowly got to her feet, clutching Buddi to her.

The Barbic leader said nothing, just cradled Buddi in her arms and walked out into the hallway. He moaned, muttered something incomprehensible, and turned back towards her body heat. She looked down at him, her little cub and her little warrior. More planner than warrior really but that was a strength in itself. 

He was out like a light.

As she climbed the stairs, and watched the cub toss occasionally and mutter in his dreams, she knew that even ten years from now, her feelings would be the same. She voiced it, in a noiseless whisper,

"You will always be my baby."

She smiled to herself and knew that no matter how big Buddi got, he would forever be a cub to her, a child. Even when he became a full-fledged warrior, an adult, she knew that Buddi would have to fight to go on battles with the others. She knew that wasn't fair of her. She was leader. Leaders did not pick favorites, nor did they try and shield one more than another.

She smiled, faintly,

"But a mother does."

Ursa shifted Buddi's weight to her left arm and opened his door. Lying the cub down, she draped the sheets over him and removed his hood. He looked so peaceful. Seeing him that way, made all the mischief and trouble he could cause when he was awake more than worth it.

It was uncanny how much Buddi was like her. When she was young, although she was a tomboy and loved to train she also was always getting into mischief. And like Buddi she for a time had expressed an interest in music, although she went for the harp or lyre than a flute. 

But she was tone deaf and quickly gave it up, creating a wave of relief among the others.

Ursa sat by Buddi's bed, watching him sleep. He would moan occasionally or turn or maybe mumble something in Barbic.But he deserved the rest. Brushing, his hair back one more time, Ursa turned the gas lamp by his bed off and shut his window, to seal out the sunlight.

Then, she walked out into the hallway and to her own quarters, to take a short nap herself.

* * *

Ursa's memories were interrupted by a childish giggle and shout,

"Ursa! Save me!"

She turned and a fully energized cub came barreling down the stairs, leapt to her and knocked her to the ground. She was stunned at first but then laughed, lifting Buddi off her and over her head as she sat up.

"I think you're getting a bit too big for that, Buddi."

He looked at her with wide innocent eyes. She sighed and ruffled his hair.

"Or not."

Buddi beamed and the two walked down the hallway, towards the kitchen. Ursa had been on her way to grab some brunch and judging from Buddi's face, he had been headed that way too. She took off ahead and Buddi had to jog to keep up with her. He looked up at her and said,

"Ursa?"

She took a gaze down at him and smiled.

"What, Buddi?"

He growled. "You're too tall. I have to run to keep up with your walk!"

She chuckled. "My mother was tall. I got that from her. Besides, it's good for you."

He grimaced. "I hate being little!"

Ursa smiled. "Aw, don't say that kid. Besides, hate to tell ya but I think you're always going to be small. It's the genes from your mother."

Buddi looked at her, curious. "Ursa? Tell me the truth here, okay?"

She nodded.

"Did…did I kill my mother?"

Ursa stopped cold. "What? Buddi, of course not! How in Gum's name could you think such a thing?"

"Cause she died having me, right?"

Ursa knelt down to Buddi's level, sitting on her knees. Grasping his shoulders in her stronger hands, she thought about how fragile the cub she held was. Meeting his eyes, she said sternly but not unkindly,

"Buddi Timba Barbic, you listen to me and listen good. Your mother was a small Barbic, like you. She only got about to my shoulder. When she told me she was pregnant with you, I knew when I looked in her eyes that she knew she was in danger when she…uh,"

Buddi smiled. "Ursa, I'm thirteen. You can say sex, you know?"

Shaking her head, she went on, "When she conceived you, she knew the danger. She knew if she got pregnant there was a good chance, she might not survive it. She _knew_ Buddi. She _knew_."

Buddi swallowed. "Then, why did she risk it?"

Ursa smiled and picked Buddi up, resting him on her hip. "Because, she said when she first felt you kick in her stomach, that you and I'd have some sort of connection. She knew I'd raise you, should something happen to her." She fingered his hair. "And she wanted to be a mother. Even if only for a few hours. She wanted to create a child."

Buddi smiled. He felt better. "So…it wasn't my fault?"

Ursa shook her head and hugged him. "Of course not. It could never have been. Remember that. It wasn't your fault."

Ursa set him down. "Now, with that out of the way, let's eat huh?"

The cub's enthusiastic grin and nod made her laugh again.

Grubbi greeted the two. 

"Help yourselves," he gestured to the table where he had brunch ready. Ursa thanked him politely but Buddi with childish gratitude. 

"Thanks Grubbi! You're philapharbic!"

Grubbi laughed along with Ursa. Buddi had a tendency to mix Barbic with the common language, subconsciously. Philapharbic meant cool, awesome or neat. It was typical teenager comment. Ursa had said it often when she was younger. Now, she leaned towards more adult termed ways of commenting others.

Buddi sat down and started eat. Ursa soon followed. She waited until he swallowed and then said,

"Buddi?"

he looked at her, before taking the bite of another fruit. He almost answered but Ursa gave him a raised eyebrow, he nodded and swallowed before saying,

"Yeah?"

"I…I need to do some discussing with Grubbi and Gritty today, mainly Grubbi. So…you get off the hook, kid. No training today."

Buddi stared. Was she serious? He asked,

"You mean it? No training?"

She nodded, a small smile playing at her lips. "Yes, Buddi. No training. You can just play."

Buddi leapt up, hugged her around the waist as that was the highest he got on her, and said,

"Oh, I love you. You're philapharbic!"

Ursa smiled and ruffled his hair.

"Finish eating, imp. Then, you can play."

Buddi ate quickly, put his dishes away and then tore outside like the kitchen was full of snakes. Ursa smiled as she watched him. Grubbi put a hand on her shoulder. She looked back at him. The elder Barbic smiled,

"He's a cub Ursa. But after what we heard last night, he deserves a break don't you think?"

Ursa nodded and still following him with her eyes said,

"I was going to give him a break anyway."

* * *

Gritty smiled as Buddi ran past him. The black Barbic waved at him. Buddi smiled and said,

"Hi Gritty. Bye Gritty."

Then, he was lost in the falling snow. Gritty got up and followed, although discreetly. After what had happened and hearing about Buddi falling into such a state of depression from Celina, many of the Barbics, particularly gritty, Grubbi and especially Ursa had taken it upon themselves to look after their little one. 

He watched Buddi. The cub would frolic in the snow, play his flute, or just run around and be a cub. It reminded Gritty of when he was in Barbic Woods, seeing the cub play. He'd go up the trees, when they were coated with frost. Of course, when Ursa found out about that, she'd tanned his hide right then and there. Gritty winced; he still remembered that.

Buddi sat still a minute, watching the snow. He felt strange. He should have been happy, no training. But he wasn't. He swallowed and found that familiar lump in his throat. He felt like he wanted to go climb trees. He needed the trees.

He wanted to go home.

He shook his head. He hadn't been homesick for a while. He'd been homesick the first few weeks after they moved into Ursalia. It got so bad that he would get really bad stomachaches so Grubbi gave him some herbs to help the physical pain. Ursa'd talk to him to ease the mental pain. 

Buddi remembered…. that night directly after the woods had fallen but before they met the Glens. They'd seen Ursalia in the distance. But it was about four AM then. He smiled and thought back…

* * *

Buddi shivered and tightened Ursa's cloak. She'd seen him trembling when they first entered the mountains so she gave him her cloak. It helped at first but now he was cold again. And tired. And hungry.They'd been traveling since Barbic woods fell, about twenty-four hours ago. Ursa and the others had agreed to stop for a brief rest and he'd tried to sleep. 

But he couldn't. Every time his eyes slid closed, he'd see it burn again, die again. Then, the tears would come, his wounds in the heart opened to bleed afresh. Then, right when he felt like he could sleep, Ursa'd come over, shook his shoulder and said,

"Come on Buddi. Let's go."

But now, that they were so close, he felt like he'd collapse. He was so tired.

He stopped and fell to his knees.

Ursa stopped too and looked at Gritty.

"Gritty?"

"Hmm?"

"Buddi, where's Buddi?"

The black Barbic noted the cub's absence for the first time. He'd stuck by Ursa ever since the woods fell. She'd carried him a bit; let him weep into her chest. Then, he walked. Now, the two friends noted that Ursa's little 'shadow' wasn't by them.

Ursa turned around and then started back. Curious, Gritty followed. He saw immediately what she was doing.

Buddi'd fallen to his knees in the snow, trembling and crying. Gritty watched as his best friend walked towards him and then knelt to his level.

"Come on, Buddi." Buddi winced as he recognized Ursa's tone. She pulled him to his feet, and kept an arm around his back and she pushed him forward. 

"Come on, Buddi. Buddi we can't stop now."

"'Know," he muttered. "M'sorry. But, I'm tired."

Ursa smiled. "Buddi when we get to Ursalia, there's plenty of rooms. You can sleep then, okay?"

Buddi nodded but rubbed his eyes and hooked one of his fingers through Ursa's belt. She smiled at him and slowed her pace a tad. 

They kept this up for a time. Then, Buddi stopped again and looked ready to pass out on his feet. Ursa took off her small sack where she had saved a few belongings and said,

"Can you carry these Gritty?"

Then, she'd scooped Buddi up into her arms and walked on. The cub had closed his eyes and rested but Ursa knew he wasn't really sleeping. It was a disturbed sleep, of nightmares. She could tell by the way he'd tremble and mutter. But she held him close to her.

When they finally reached Ursalia, she said softly,

"It's time to wake up, Buddi. We'll get you in a bed soon."

Gritty and Ursa fought their own sorrow at his words,

"But I wanna go home."

* * *

"Buddi!"

The cub was snapped form his thoughts and turned. Gritty walked over to him, picked him up from the fountain and then said,

"Inside. Didn't you notice it's raining?"

Buddi looked up and then said,

"Actually, I didn't. I was thinking."

Gritty smiled and tugged the cub inside. "Well, about what?"

The older Barbic took the cub's hood off, rung the water out before slapping it back on his head. It was damp and slid down over his eyes. The cub lifted it back up.

"Nothing profound."

Gritty gave the cub a smile and winked with his good eye. "About what, kid?"

Buddi's face dropped and taking the towel Gritty offered him, he dried his hair. 

"Home."

Gritty looked at the cub with sympathy and squeezed his shoulder. Buddi sighed.

"It's never gonna go away, will it Gritty?"

"What?"

The cub's bright eyes met his older experienced ones.

"The pain."

Gritty looked at him gently, and fingered his cheeks before he answered,

"No."

Buddi sighed deeply. "I didn't think so. It dulls but it's always there."

Gritty smiled at him kindly. Then said,

"It's late anyway Buddi. And you can't go back outside; you and I both know Ursa won't have it. So go get a bath. You'll find something to do inside."

* * *

Ursa stretched and set the last spear back into the case. She'd spent a lot of the day fixing and repairing the worn weapons. She had spoken to Grubbi, but only briefly. And she'd promised Buddi that he would have no training and Ursa was a Barbic of her word.

"Two weeks,' she said aloud. "Two weeks to the day."

"What day?" a voice behind her asked. She turned and Buddi bounded in, still a bundle of energy. She smiled at him. He'd been clothed in his nightshift at dinner, but several others had too because the rain prevented them from doing anything that could make them real dirty. This rain meant spring would be coming soon so he had on his lighter winter one. The Barbics essentially had the same type of nightshift, one that could be removed quickly. Ursa'd made him this one. She was not an expert with the needle by any means but that's why Buddi loved it. She'd tried at something she wasn't good at for him. Ursa supposed she did spoil the boy a tad. But then, he wasn't a brat, on the contrary he was a fairly easy child although he did tend to explore a bit more than he should have. And he got into mischief occasionally but what child didn't?

"I said," Buddi repeated with impatience, "What day?"

Ursa smiled at him, at his childish impatience. 'The Curse of Youth' is what Grubbi called it when she was young.

"The day of…" Ursa's grin fell as she pulled Buddi from the room and to his room. "When Barbic Woods fell."

Buddi's face fell as well and he drew closer to Ursa. She gave him a smile and put a hand on his hair. Buddi usually would have pulled away as she ruffled his hair but tonight he just stood still and took it. Ursa looked at him, at his face. She knew those eyes anywhere. Stopping, she knelt and said softly,

" Buddi? You're homesick, aren't you?"

Buddi looked at her. She had an uncanny ability to tell what he was thinking, just as he could tell what she was thinking. But he answered her, in a low voice,

"I wanna go home."

Ursa drew him to the window and the two gazed outside. Ursa had learned quickly after she took over Buddi's upbringing that the cub was, like most Barbics herself included, claustrophobic and was calmed by the open sky. She had always been claustrophobic but hers was not nearly as bad as Buddi's. She was uncomfortable but if Buddi got in a tight enough space, he couldn't breathe.

Ursa thought back, to the woods again. She'd been thinking of it a lot lately and judging from Buddi's face, he had too.

As she thought back, she whispered to Buddi, 

"I wanna go home too Buddi."

* * *

_Barbic Woods_

_Twenty-Seven Years Ago_

_ _

"Let me go. I wanna go play!"

Grubbi swallowed his next comment and struggled with the squirming girl in his arms. Ursa. The only female besides Ola left among the Barbics. He wished that she was more like Ola at times, as that girl was a Barbic but not nearly as tomboyish as this one. 

"Ursa, for the last time, no!" he grabbed her by the shoulders and set her down on the bed by his examination table. "You're still feverish. You can't play today."

"The heck I can't."

That said, the girl was up and running to the door. Grubbi swiftly overtook her and picked the squirming cub up into his arms.

"LET ME GO! LET ME GO!"

"Stop it and save your breath Ursa Barbic. You're not leaving this room until your fever falls."

"You can't keep me here," she said stubbornly. Grubbi smiled as he sat the girl down on the bed, and in one swift motion snatched her arm and injected a sedative into it.

"Watch me."

Ursa groaned as the medicine started to pour through her blood, making her sleepy. She turned on her side and closed her eyes. Grubbi sighed in relief and pulled the blanket over the small six-year-old cub.He looked at her. She was a spitting image of her mother. She was going to be tall, Grubbi knew that already. Her silky hair was red, making her a carrot top. But she was likely to made red blood flow from the nose of whomever called her that. It was also fairly long for a child, to her shoulders. She had the eyes of her father, determined and fierce. And although she rarely gave a wide smile, when she did, Grubbi could see the faint dimples her father had given her. She was a cute child. But she hated to be called that. She was constantly begging Grubbi to let her train. Her friend Gritty, at nine years had already started the training, although it was in the form of games. He was three years her senior so, he could begin but she was too young.

"Grubbi?"

He turned to the small cub. She had her eyes shut but was muttering,

"My…my Daddy said before he died that he believed that no matter how bad things were, things would always come full circle. Was he telling me the truth?"

Grubbi smiled at her. "I think so. I happen to think that no matter how bad things are, if you keep your courage and faith, things will come full circle for you."

Ursa smiled in her sleep and went from feigned to true rest.

* * *

_Present_

Ursa was shook from her memories by a loud chime. Looking outside, she saw the clock in the courtyard had struck twelve times, indicating midnight. She looked to her right and the cub was still there, gazing at the stars. She had realized how much trouble she was for Grubbi when she started raising him. But she loved every second of it.

She plucked him up and held him over her head.

"Time for bed, little one," she said, a smile in her voice. Buddi scowled at that infernal nickname of little one. She smiled.

"Actually, it's past time for bed. An hour past." She smiled again as Buddi hid a yawn with the back of his hand. "But I think you knew that." 

Ursa set him on his feet and led him upstairs to his room. She'd been thinking about that theory that every thing comes full circle a lot lately. And every day that passed, the memory of home grew harder. It always hurt but she'd shoved it to the back of her mind. 

"Humans," she muttered aloud, an acidic tone to her voice. Buddi hadn't heard her or if he did, he made no note. She was glad. She knew he was missing home too and it was harder for him. He'd only been twelve when they lost it, barely twelve. But he was more willing to forgive than she was. Humans had killed her parents, when she was barely six. And when Gritty was twenty-five, he'd fought the humans from their woods but at the cost of one of his eyes. He never talked about it.

Ursa sat Buddi down on his bed and drew the covers around his small form. She probably didn't need to tuck him in but it was habit. And besides, she had a feeling when he got homesick that he appreciated it.

Ursa got up and closed Buddi's window, locking it. Turning around, she sat back down on his bed, removed his hood and turned his light off. But she started to smooth his hair a bit. It helped him fall asleep. He was homesick and although he was tired, she for one knew that homesickness could keep you awake.

"Try not to think about it, Buddi." She said softly as she saw, even in the dark, the pain in his eyes. "If you must think about when you played, not about when it fell."

Buddi nodded, she felt his head move under her fingers.

But even as she started to leave, she heard his muttered cry of, 

"I wanna go home."


	2. Premonitions

# Chapter Two: Premonitions

The flames were blinding. The smoke clogged his throat. His eyes stung with the flakes of fire and he blinked to try and clear his vision. But when it was clear, he wished it wasn't. He saw it again. The trees burned and fell into piles of smoke and flame. 

Buddi covered his ears and closed his eyes. He didn't want to see this again. He'd lived through it once, wasn't that painful enough?

Then, the smoke overwhelmed him; he collapsed coughing and gasping. He couldn't breathe. Then he heard that voice, that evil voice,

"Light crashes to darkness as darkness tumbles back into light. The Phoenix rises from the ashes, the ashes part from the Phoenix. The ocean brushes the shore as the shore extends to touch the waves. Into and from. Create and Destroy. Everything's born. Everything dies. Ashes to ashes, dust to dust. Things come full circle. Evil took the world once as it will take it again…"

Then, the blood came. Rivers, oceans that swelled and swelled until the hot liquid rushed over Buddi's bare feet, burning them, melting them away like acid. He howled in pain and heart pounding fear. Collapsing to his knees, the liquid rose to his waist and then his shoulders until only his head remained. The voice repeated,

"Everything dies. Evil took the world once as it will take it again."

Then, he saw her face, Celina. She smiled, an evil smile and said softly,

"Soon."

Buddi screamed and screamed and screamed until the liquid rolled down his throat killing him from inside out….

**_SMACK!_**

Buddi's howls of fear were replaced with one of surprise and pain. But the dream still held him, still kept him asleep. He screamed again. 

Gritty slapped him again, harder but not too hard. Ursa grabbed her child's shoulders and shook him hard,

"Buddi! Gum's sake, wake up!"

Nothing worked; her cub was sealed in a nightmare. Finally, desperate, Ursa tried her last resort. 

Yanking the child up, she turned him over her knee and gave his rear a good smack. She slapped him twice more before his screams were replaced by,

"Ursa! What're you doing?"

Ursa sighed with relief and turned Buddi back over, and sat him down. He stared at her and then at Gritty, confused.

Ursa grasped his cheeks in her palms. She felt the cold sweat on his fur and the cold tears. The tears of fear. His eyes were wide, afraid. 

"Buddi?" her voice barely reached his ears. "Buddi, what happened? You were screaming for at least fifteen minutes. Tell me."

They came rushing back. The dream, in detail. Buddi fought tears and leaned against Ursa, trembling. She hugged him, a light squeeze. Normally, she resented nightmares as she had told Buddi when he was nine that he would have to stop coming to her with nightmares and face them himself. But whenever she heard him cry out in fear, she longed to run to him, to gather him up into her arms. She had left him so he could conquer some of his fears. But when she'd heard him cry out tonight, such fear and such sorrow in his voice, she'd forgotten her vow and torn into his room.

Gritty put his large hand on Buddi's tiny head. Once again, he was stunned by how small the cub was in comparison with him. He felt the cold sweat that had matted the child's hair and stroked the cub's cheeks with one of his fingers. Buddi buried his face into Ursa's chest. 

"S…sorry," he muttered, his voice muffled by Ursa's nightdress. He was drenching it with tears but she didn't seem to mind. Ursa let him cry a few minutes. She knew that sometimes it helped to get it out that way. She never did it that way but Buddi had. So she just let him.

"Okay, Buddi. What's wrong? We don't scream from dreams unless it's worth the screams." She sighed as she saw his stubborn face. But he did give her a general idea although it was said into her chest and hard to decipher.

"I saw it burn again."

The two adults exchanged glances before it clicked with Ursa. She lifted his head so her eyes met his young ones. Softly, she asked,

"Barbic Woods?"

Buddi nodded and laid his head back against her chest. She played with his hair, twirling it around her finger or smoothing it out. Gritty sensed Ursa was of more help than him so he got up and left the two alone.

"Hey, Buddi," she caressed his face with her fingertips. "It's over now. It happened but it's over."

"But," he stammered, "It's…I know it is but it still comes back and still hurts."

Ursa laid her cheek against the top of his head and said softly,

"It will always hurt, Buddi. But you have to go on."

"I try, Ursa. But every so often, it conquers me."

She smiled and rubbed his hair again. "I know. That's why you have me right?"

He smiled at her, "One of the reasons I keep you around, yeah."

She gave him another smile and rubbed his hair again. He was starting to be sarcastic. That was good. It meant he was forgetting. She stayed with him a minute more. Then, slowly she got up and told him, "Try to sleep well the rest of the night, huh?"

He nodded. "I'll try, Ursa."

But when she closed the door, he still felt that chill.


	3. In Ursalia's Core

# Chapter Three: In Ursalia's Core

Deep in Ursalia's core, in the very center of the city, deep within the walls, was a small, dark chamber. It was dark and musty and had the smell of blood and dead flesh to it. The scent of evil was clearly present. It had been sealed long ago, hoping to seal away the evil if it sealed away the knowledge of it. 

But evil lives on. 

Two bright red eyes opened and slipped through the stonewalls and into the Ursalia's halls, silent as death and just as dangerous.

* * *

Buddi awoke suddenly at a terrible pain on his chest. He gasped, struggled to pull air into his lungs but it refused to come.

He opened his eyes wider and his face bleached to snow white. There, hovering just above him was something he'd never seen before. It looked like a human, but smaller with pointed ears. And no pupils. Just slits in a shadow black face, which hummed a blood red. It grinned evilly and hissed,

"Evil comes full circle. Death draws near."

Buddi fought to breathe, his heart pounding. Then, the spirit smiled, and with a cackle that left fear circulating through Buddi's blood, vanished.

The cub gasped for air and glanced around. He'd never really feared the dark. But now those dark shadows twisted and shifted, stretching claws and teeth, threatening him. Buddi curled into a tight ball and tried to go back to sleep. But he was terrified. He swallowed, trembling like a leaf. The cub scolded himself. 

"You're a Barbic." He said aloud. "You're a Barbic. Get it together,"

He realized his sheets had clammed up, sticking to him, his cold sweat acting like glue. Sitting up, Buddi peeled them off, heart alive in his ribs, slamming against them. He swallowed again. Creaks made his head jerk. The window, the window he _knew_ Ursa had locked flew open and a cold wind blew in the room. He leapt up and slammed it tightly, bolting it again. He stared down at his hands.

His reflection in the window was larger, and black.

He raised his eyes.

Celina smiled at him and vanished.

Buddi could take it no more. He screamed.

"Ursa! Gritty! Grubbi! Gum, anyone!"

No answer. The cub crawled under his covers, looking for some comfort in their warmth but got none. He screamed again, louder.

Still no reply.

"Gum's sake! Anybody!"

No reply, nothing.

Tears streamed down his cheeks.

"Ursa! Gritty! Grubbi! Gum anyone! _Lnegai_!"

Lnegai did it. It was Barbic for please but was the desperate form. Children used it when they wanted something and it worked here. He heard the pounding feet and then the door flung open and light filtered onto his face. Grubbi reached him first and gathered the cub up into his strong arms.

"Gum's sake Buddi." The Barbic looked down at the pale and trembling child. "What in the name of Barbic Woods is wrong?"

Buddi couldn't answer. But his head jerked up at the female voice,

"Buddi!"

Grubbi released Buddi and the cub flew into Ursa's outstretched arms. She was stunned but more worried than surprised at the moment. She hugged him tightly as he cried into her chest.

"Buddi! What's wrong? Tell me!"

Buddi couldn't. His voice stalled. He whimpered and cried again. Ursa brushed his hair with her fingers and rubbed his back. He couldn't talk. He tried but the words couldn't flow. They refused to flow. They would reach his tongue but went no further. He stayed still in Ursa's arms.

Finally, Ursa turned to Grubbi. Her eyes alone told him. He nodded and left, towards sickbay where they kept their herbs. Gritty left and followed. 

Ursa looked at Buddi, so scared and frightened. He'd never looked so young to her. The last time he'd looked this young was when he was about two and wobbling to her on shaky knees. She hugged him close and started to hum softly, a tune she used to hum when he was younger. Buddi was stunned at first but then laid his face into her chest and tried to calm his heart.

The door creaked open and Grubbi walked back in, followed by Gritty. Grubbi had a handful of herbs and Gritty had a mug of steaming liquid. He handed the mug to Buddi. It was hot milk. Grubbi handed the bulbs to the cub who swallowed without protest. 

Ursa held him close to her, as she knew that he needed it. She'd seen the fear in his eyes, the agonizing fear. She knew Buddi was a Barbic but he was also her cub. He needed her. 

The two others, their jobs done, left.

"Baby?"

Buddi looked at her. She still did not call him that often. She brushed his hair gently.

"What did you see, baby? Tell me."

Buddi made no reply. Just breathed deeply and let her hold him.

But to himself, he wondered, 

"What is this? Why am I seeing this?"

* * *

"Damn it!"

Celina growled and picked up a spear, flinging it at the wall. It killed the Ogre that it hit. She made no note and paced.

"I knew those brats were the ones! I knew it! But now things are getting complicated. They're beginning to realize. They'll be the tide turners in the future but they're turning too fast."

She summoned up a barren landscape, scarred with stumps. 

"Well, it's time Celina took matters into her own hands!"

She scowled and said aloud, "Those ancients of Ursalia knew of me. I won't let the cubs realize who I am. What I am. How powerful…my weaknesses. I won't. I'll divide and conquer."

She smiled and then with a look at the trembling cub in her memory, said gently, softly,

"Barbic Woods…"

"Resurrect,"


	4. Friendship

Chapter Four: Friendship

Chapter Four: Friendship 

Ursa and Gritty smiled as a bleary eyed cub walked into the kitchen. Buddi rubbed his eyes and then looked up to see two adults and also the two he happened to be closest with looking at him, small smiles playing at their lips. Buddi felt his face grow hot and knew his cheeks must have turned cherry red.

Ursa gave a small and low chuckle and said,

"Thought I was gonna have to wake you for lunch, Buddi."

Buddi blushed a deeper red. Ursa smiled and motioned him to her with one hand. When he got close enough, she pulled him onto her lap. He knew she wanted to know something by that stubborn and determined look in her bright eyes. And he thought he could guess what and sighed deeply.

Ursa quickly confirmed his suspicions.

"Buddi," she looked him directly in the eye. "You woke up twice last night. I've never known you to have two nightmares in one night. And I've known you thirteen years. I've never known you to call for me either. Even when you were little, you waited for me to come or you came to me. I know you saw terrible things last night. The fear in your eyes told me that much. And now you're going to tell me exactly what you saw," she tightened her grip on him. "Or I'm not going to let you go."

Buddi sighed again. "Can't I eat first?"

Gritty cut in, "_After_ you tell us."

Buddi groaned deeply. "Fine. I'll tell you."

The cub didn't hesitate. He told them about seeing the woods burn again. Of that prophecy he heard as he saw everything he loved die. He tried not to let his voice crack but he knew that it must have at least twice. By the time he finished, his throat was dry and Ursa handed him some water and gave him a small squeeze.

"There's one, Buddi." She gave him one of her rare slow smiles. Usually when she smiled it was instantaneous but her slow smile was used for comfort and it spread slowly across her face, altering her expression from stern and serious to caring, in gradual steps.

Gritty winked at the cub with his one eye. "Get through one more, cub."

Buddi sighed. "That wasn't a dream."

Gritty and Ursa exchanged gazes. But then turned back to Buddi. He swallowed and told them.

Told them about the spirit, about his struggle to breathe, and finally, the spirit's fierce warning. Finally, he looked up at Ursa from his position in her lap.

Ursa smiled at him and hugged him gently. "Buddi, it'll be okay. I promise."

The cub looked at her, eyes wide and innocent. She ruffled his hair. "I mean it, Buddi. That's a promise."

Buddi gave her a smile and nod in return. Then, he leapt up, grabbed a small breakfast cake from the counter and raced outside. Ursa was still stunned at the cub's energy. She knew she had been that wild but it was hard to believe now that she was an adult. It was amazing how much a few years had changed her.

She remembered when she was eighteen, when she'd first lifted her sword. She'd been immature, reckless. She was still a tad reckless but that was in her nature. But she also found incredible was that as a Barbic female, she would usually have asked for help when it came to raising cubs. But raising Buddi had come naturally to her. She never had asked for help. She still didn't. She knew him inside out, much to his dismay at times. She always knew what he was feeling, when he was sad, worried, or lonely. 

When he had been an infant, it had only taken her a day or two to recognize his different cries. When he was hungry, hurt, or cold. She could still tell by the way he acted what he felt. More than that though, when he was little, he'd been very close to her and still was although they did not reveal it much. 

She smiled to herself and followed the cub outside.

The ground was wet from the recent rain. Spring was coming. 

Ursa sat down on the fountain edge; an arm draped over one of her knees and watched the child. 

He'd taken one of the racket sets out. They were slender sticks, a tad flattened at the end. She remembered the game. She'd played it when she was little and then even more when she was a teenager. Cubs just thought it was fun but now as she was an adult and could look with a grown up's perspective she saw the game had improved her agility and traction. 

To play, it had a small ball, not very big. Buddi could hold it in the palm of one hand. The paddles at the ends of the sticks were slender too so one had to have good hand and eye coordination to play. The Barbics threw the ball at the wall and tried to hit it back before it hit the ground. When tossed between players, the goal was to keep it in the air.

Ursa ducked suddenly as the ball missed Buddi's racket. She caught it in one hand and stifled a chuckle with the back of her hand as he lost his traction and fell to his knees and then onto his face.

He got up and jogged over to him. She handed him the ball back and said,

"Watch your feet, Buddi. You're slipping up."

Buddi pouted, playfully. Then, held his racket out to her. "You play."

Ursa pushed it back. "No, Buddi. I've got some stuff to do. I just decided to check on you for a few minutes."

Buddi's grin fell. She never spent time with him anymore, unless it was night or training. He sighed, deeply.

"You…you can't take fifteen minutes from your day to play with me?"

Ursa gazed at his eyes, so pleading. She sighed herself and said,

"Buddi, those eyes of yours should be declared lethal weapons. But I can't. I need to train myself. I've been slacking."

Buddi grasped her hands.

"Ursa, come on! You never hang out with me anymore. How long could one match take? Just one?"

Ursa groaned. He had a point. In Barbic Woods, she had hung out with him more. Because he was a swinger and was actually pretty hard to keep up with. It had been more fun in the woods. He was truly at home there. She smiled, memories overtaking her reason.

"All right, you win Buddi. I'll go get my racket."

Buddi beamed. She was true to her word and came back out, her racket in hand. It had a slender paddle than his. Buddi tossed the ball to her.

She hit it back easily. She purposely hit it low so he could give her a decent hit back. He did, hit it hard. She returned it, her strength restrained so he could keep up. Over the years, Ursa'd learned how much strength was too little, how much was too much and what amount provided a fun challenge. 

She kept her strength restrained until a particularly high hit. She caught the ball on the end of her paddle, held it high over her head and bounced it up and down, in hopes of irritating the cub. It worked.

"No fair! Ursa, that's cheating! You're too tall!"

The Barbic leader chuckled as the cub tried to jump up and knock the ball down. Ursa smiled and finally tossed it back. 

They went for about another hour before Ursa put an end to it.

"You're tired Buddi. I can tell." She took the child's racket and smiled. "You're quite good though Buddi. But for now, I think we both need a break," she noted the way he had a hand to his belly and smirked again, "and a bite."

The two walked in. Buddi said,

"Ursa? Know what?"

"What Buddi?"

"You're still a good playmate."

She gave the boy a grin.

"Thanks kid. I may be an adult but everyone learns to play when they're children and some things you just don't forget how to do."


	5. Into An Inner Core

Chapter Five: Into An Inner Core

Chapter Five: Into An Inner Core

"Just drop it, okay, Ryo?"

The elder Barbic gave the cub a glare. He sneered, a glare every Barbic was familiar with. Buddi narrowed his eyes back at the adult. Ryo added to his lecture,

"And crying for Ursa? Gum's sake Buddi, are you a Barbic or a baby?"

Buddi's face flushed with anger and shame. He was a shy child, although not terribly shy. But because of that, he embarrassed and blushed easier than the others. But he kept his eyes strong. He faced the adult and said,

"I'm smart enough to know that holding fear in, eats you alive."

Ryo rolled his eyes and then hissed,

"A * human * is more Barbic than you!"

Pain more intense than Buddi thought possible shot through his heart. He fought the tears in the corners of his eyes. Granted, he had more respect for humans than the others but still, a lower insult could not be given. He waited until the adult turned on his heels and stormed out before letting the tears come. 

Gradually, the cub's sorrow transformed into anger. His first impulse was to punch something. But something Ursa taught him came back to him. She told him that it was good to let anger out, but positively. Buddi walked down towards the indoor training room, eyes seeing red with hurt, anger and fury.

Ursa trained him here when it was raining or too bad weather to train outside. No one was there now. He walked over to the punching bags, drew his fist back and threw a punch.

Then another and another.

His anger blinded his body to the pain as he bruised his own knuckles and made them bleed.

* * *

Ursa wandered down the corridors. She was looking for Buddi when she heard sounds coming from their indoor training facility. Peering in, she found her cub, at the punching bags, punching with all his strength. Their bags were made from thick leather, stuffed with feathers and tightly packed beans. It seemed ridiculous for a punching bag but was actually quite hard, because of how tightly they were packed.

"Buddi?"

The cub made no reply but increased his speed. Ursa heard a different sound than usual and that worried her. As she came nearer, she realized what it was and as she heard barely contained gasps of pain. She saw then and her heart skipped a beat.

Buddi's young knuckles, so tiny and frail, were bleeding and covered with blue, black and occasional yellow bruises.

"Buddi!" Ursa raced in and grabbed Buddi's wrists. "Stop it! You're hurting yourself!"

The cub's eyes came back empty and lacking any emotion, except one.

Anger, pure fury.

Ursa knew the look anywhere. She smiled and gave Buddi a delicate smirk. Leading him to sit on one of the mats, she said,

"I know you're angry but you're also hurting yourself."

Buddi shrugged, "I didn't punch any walls, did I?"

Ursa shook her head, "No, but still Buddi. You should not use all your strength. Even now, when your strength's just developing, you could hurt yourself badly."

She took a handkerchief from her pouch, wet it with a water bottle from the room's icebox and swabbed at Buddi's hands. He winced as she went over the few yellow bruises he had. But she was gentler there. Then, she took a handful of herbs from the small case they kept in here, for minor injuries. Crushing the bulbs of the plants, she wet them with water and slapped them against Buddi's wounds, where they stayed, like paste. Finally, she took the wet cloth and tied the cub's knuckles tightly.

She gave him a smile. "Now, if you still need to get anger out, use this part," she rubbed the area just below his knuckles. "It puts less pressure on your bones. Which are more fragile than mine, you know,"

Buddi nodded. "I…I was just trying to get my anger out."

Ursa smiled and ruffled his hair, "I know, Buddi. What got you so miffed, though?"

Buddi growled under his breath and slowly told Ursa what had happened. Her eyes lit up with anger. Buddi smiled as he heard a small word leave her lips that he only heard the grown ups use when they thought he couldn't hear. He noted that Ursa realized what she'd said and grinned sheepishly. 

"I'll give him a talking to, Buddi." She smiled. "I promise. For now, you can go do whatever. Explore. Get your mind on something else."

The cub got up, nodding. "Okay."

He ran out into the hallway, as the pain in his knuckles became clear. He growled and cursed himself,

"Buddi, you idiot."

* * *

Buddi wandered about the city, weaving his way through adults here and there. Being the smallest helped sometimes. But when they had ceremonies and such, he always had to tug on Ursa's dress, slap his hands on his hips and pout before she remembered he couldn't see over the adults. Then, she'd slip him on her shoulders and he'd be taller than all the others.

Buddi sighed and weaved his way through another sea of three adults. They tried to clear a pathway but Buddi formed his own.

The adults went on and Buddi walked around the corridors. It had grown fairly late, nearly time to eat. Buddi was actually a good ways from the dining hall, which was unusual. He was hiding from Ursa. She'd meant to train him that day but had not been able to find him. He knew she'd be mad so he explored the more mysterious corners of the city.

This section however was starting to give him the creeps. It was darker, with fewer windows, lamps, and candles. Also, there was dust and cobwebs everywhere. The cub shoved some aside as he walked. And he was very aware of the adults' voices fading away. He hadn't realized how comforting their chatter was. Even though Ryo was a rude Barbic with not a lot of sensitivity, had Buddi run to him in pain or bleeding or shouting for Ursa, he'd help him. The others would have been even nicer about it.

The cub stopped. He felt a chill, an intangible and illogical fear. Sighing aloud, the child leaned back against the wall.

It caved in, opening a door and then closed again, sealing the cub in.

The child fell for a while and then suddenly stopped, a loud crack illuminating. He sat up, rubbing the back of his head. His hand came back bloody. He knew he had a concussion. He was even more assured when he stood up, by the way the room spun. He winced and focused on the far wall to try and stop the dizziness. Ursa had taught him that, to concentrate on one thing.

Then, suddenly candles flickered on.

The cub jumped. He could sense Celina's presence. He told Ursa when he was ten that he sometimes felt like he was psychic, like he could sense things. She'd rolled her eyes and admonished him, saying it was, "a load of hogwash." She had proved her point by dropping to his level, putting a hand on each of his shoulders and saying, "Alright, Buddi Barbic. If you're a psychic what number am I thinking of?"

He hadn't been able to answer.

Now he thought maybe he could just get a feeling of when there was something terrible about to happen. Maybe that explained his dreams. Not just his present dreams but the ones before.

A week before Barbic Woods had fallen; he'd gotten disturbing nightmares, dreams of darkness and fire. But he'd shrugged them off.

A week later, the woods were gone.

Now, he was having another feeling. He gazed around and drew his arms around himself to provide false security. It was cold, damp and he'd never felt so alone. Looking around did not help. It must have been when the gummies had torture chambers. He recognized some from the history legends that Ursa told him at times.

A rack, an iron maiden, a dunking booth and a mixed array of weapons and knives decorated the room.

He called into the cold air,

"What do you want, Celina?"

His answer was a laugh but no vocals.

Then, he turned. The blades all fell as one. The iron maiden creaked open. The child was petrified. He'd never in all his life longed for Ursa more. He knew Celina was meaning frightened him. It was working. Sweat broke out. The cub ran to the walls, searching for an exit.

Celina laughed louder.

The pain came then. Like fire through his body, first his feet, then the sides of his legs, his hips and backside, his back, his arms…everything. He saw the reason swiftly. Spears, similar to the ones the Barbics used, stabbed from the ground slicing his skin and fur open. Most were deep but not life threatening. But they kept coming. He screamed and ran.

Luckily, he saw a door and quickly ran out. Celina's laughter dulled and then stopped. He heard her voice,

"Die, cub. Die in fear and pain."

Then, those walls seemed to close in. His lungs condensed. He gasped in air. Softly as he ran he shouted,

"You know I'm claustrophobic."

The increasing laughter was the boy's only answer.

* * *

Ursa walked along the corridors, Gritty just behind her. The two adults were looking for Buddi. Ursa secretly was concerned. She knew Buddi. He was never far when dinner was close but he'd missed dinner. He hadn't even tried to sneak in for dessert. That worried her.

"Buddi!"

Gritty sighed and called out, exasperated,

"Come out, partner. Ursa and I don't have time to search every nook and cranny for you!"

Ursa sighed. "Gritty. It's not like him. I know Buddi. Whenever we call for him, even if he's in trouble, he comes. And he's NEVER missed dinner, unless I make him. Where is he?"

Gritty shrugged. "I don't know Ursa. It's a big city. Maybe he went exploring. You know he loves to."

Ursa nodded and caught sight of three Barbics walking from the far corners of the city. She called out to them,

"Hey! Mari! Lundi! Yveti! Have you three seen Buddi?"

The three nodded and it was the tallest of them, Mari, a humble Barbic that answered,

'He was near the edge of the city. You know, where the lights dull?"

Ursa nodded and walked through them, gritty trailing her. The black Barbic answered the three tan,

"Thanks."

They nodded and walked on.

Ursa sped up. Her motherly instincts were picking something up. Buddi was an adventurer but he never went where there weren't adults close enough to help. That was one of Ursa's rules when he explored. She had told him that it was because the city wasn't fully explored yet. 

And she'd had felt an odd feeling since Buddi's nightmares had come. 

Others had had them too, although they were not as detailed or frightening. 

She didn't like it.

* * *

Buddi gasped for air and ran through the inner walls. None of the doors worked. He was sealed in. and by some illusion, Celina made the space condense, shrink. Cold sweat was running down the cub's arms and he was heaving for any air. He stopped and listened,

"Buddi!"

"Ursa!" the cub called in answer and ran to the nearest door, a mirror door. It was locked too. But he could hear her. And he heard Gritty too. The cub fell to his knees panting for air and in immense pain. Blood was making rivers down his body from the spears. He beat his fists against the mirror's wooden back, the one thing that separated the glass from this hallway. He whimpered,

"Ursa…Gritty…help me!"

He could hear them walk by. He suddenly was desperate, willing to do anything. He dug his fingers under gaps in the wooden back and tugged with all his strength. It broke off, leaving cuts on his palms. He went onto another board, and ripped hard, slicing his fingertips open. The cub kept going, until blood poured off his hands and joined the other rivers on his body. The child finally saw what he wanted.

The fragile glass.

He heard Celina's growl of defeat and then a feeling of a weight lifting as she disappeared back to Drekmore.

He pounded on the glass, screaming as loud as he could,

"URSA! GRITTY! HELP ME!"

* * *

Ursa stopped. She heard a faint voice, very faint,

"Ursa! Gritty! Help Me!"

She recognized it immediately.

"Buddi!"

Whirling around, she saw him. A small child, eyes wide with terror, behind the glass of a mirror. Blood was running down his body, his eyes were wet with tears and his clothing torn. He was gasping, struggling to pull air in.

"BUDDI!"

she whirled around and ran to him. She put her fingers on the glass. It was hard. She called to the child,

"Stand back, Buddi!"

The cub did so. Ursa swung her fists and the glass cracked. Buddi crouched low, trembling in pain and covered his head so when the glass broke it wouldn't cut him.

The glass cracked but didn't break. Ursa hit it again. It indented deeper. Buddi whimpered and Ursa's heart felt like it was being torn in two. She called behind her,

"Gritty! I need you!"

Buddi heard the adult's footsteps and whimpered, as he gasped for air, "Please hurry, hurry!"

The glass cracked deeper. Buddi didn't look up but he knew that Gritty had gotten there. The glass cracked again and then with one last punch, the glass shattered. 

Buddi was petrified and just clung to the arms that lifted him out into the light. Ursa was terrified. He was so hurt. Was he…

He gasped for air, looked up and saw Ursa's face.

He cried.

Ursa had never heard a more beautiful sound.


	6. Dreams Unraveled

Chapter Six: Dreams Unraveled

Chapter Six: Dreams Unraveled 

Buddi closed his eyes and Ursa dumped another bucket of warm water over his head. The blood ran off in small rushes, trailing down his bare body. It stung but Buddi tolerated it. He knew it would hurt. So he gritted his teeth and took it. Ursa gave him fair warning when to close his eyes and she tried to be gentle. 

"I know it hurts, Buddi." She stated as she wiped some blood off his arms with a washcloth. "But I have to be able to see the wounds before Grubbi or I can help heal them."

Buddi winced, as she wiped over a gash in his left arm. "I…I know Ursa. Are we done yet?"

Ursa smiled. "Almost. Just a few more should do it. Close your eyes."

Buddi complied and Ursa poured another bucket of water over his head. Blood flowed down his body again but in lesser amounts. Ursa repeated the process until clear water flowed down his arms. When that occurred, she reached for a warm towel and grabbed Buddi in it. Wrapping it around him, she stood and rinsed the tub out. It was stained with blood. Seeing that and knowing all that blood came from her small cub, an undersized child, made her sick to her stomach with worry and anger.

She walked towards the infirmary, Buddi cradled in her arms, perched on her hip. Buddi was breathing hard, evidence of blood loss and his face was a shade lighter than normal. But Ursa knew that he had not lost enough to be life threatening. But he was considerably weaker. He laid his head against her chest and closed his eyes. 

Ursa smiled and ran her fingers through his wet hair. He, in response, leaned deeper into her side. She opened the door to the quarters of medicine and placed the cub on an examination table. Grubbi came in shortly after.

"Ouch," he winced himself as he examined Buddi's wounds. There were so many! Buddi tried to keep still but it hurt. He was squirming. Grubbi gestured Ursa over. She nodded, sat on the tabletop and pulled Buddi into her lap. Her strength held the fidgeting cub still as Grubbi examined the major wounds. Buddi didn't cry or shout in pain. However, he did grit his teeth tightly, to suppress the pain.

When Grubbi stopped, he smiled at the cub and patted one of his cheeks. Then, he turned to Ursa. The adults spoke in Barbic, which Buddi could follow but they were using words Buddi didn't understand. He heard the regret in Ursa's voice and her hesitation but she nodded. Buddi swallowed, hard. He didn't like Ursa's hesitation. He looked up at her.

Ursa gazed down at the tiny child with a small smile. Buddi didn't buy it. He knew something was wrong and the shimmer in his eyes told Ursa that. With a sigh, she said,

"Buddi…you have too many wounds. We can't clean them individually. We have to do them all at once. So, we're going to give you a bath in those cleaning herbs. Then-"

Buddi interrupted her. "NO! Gum, Ursa those herbs sting!"

Ursa bit her lower lip. She knew he'd protest. She said to him in her stern voice,

"You're getting it, Buddi. We have to clean those cuts and wounds. That's the fastest way. You can comply or not but either way you're getting it."

Buddi's face fell. Ursa's voice softened. 

"Buddi…I know they sting. They're supposed to sting. It lets us know they work. Grubbi originally said he'd do it alone. But-" she added, seeing the cub's horrified face, "I convinced him to let me stay with you. We'll try to be fast alright?"

Buddi nodded, his eyes wet. Ursa picked him up and carried him into the adjourning bathroom. Grubbi poured some herbs into the water, which turned a pale blue tint. Buddi tightened his grip on Ursa's neck. Ursa gestured to Grubbi. The elder Gummi nodded and plucked the cub from Ursa's arms.

Buddi squeezed his eyes shut and Grubbi felt his muscles tighten and condense. He hated doing this but honestly saw no alternative. He nodded for Ursa to stick close and gently lowered the cub into the waters. 

The cub's scream nearly burst his eardrums.

"NO! OW! IT HURTS! IT HURTS! IT HURTS! MAKE IT STOP!"

Ursa swiftly grabbed the child in a hug and put one hand to the back of his head, on his soft spot. She moved her fingers gently in a massage. It helped a bit but she could still hear her child's screams and shouts of pain. It ripped her heart open. She kept massaging as it seemed to help but she still longed to be able to take the pain for him.

"Hang in there, kid," Grubbi said gently as he started to wipe down the wounds.

The child's screams did not cease. To Buddi, his body was being scalded with fire and ash. He had never been in so much pain. Tears were flowing freely down his cheeks. Granted, Ursa's massage helped a bit but it still hurt. The time dragged on for Buddi. It only took about ten minutes but to Buddi, it felt like ten years.

But when Ursa finally lifted him out, he clutched her tight and whimpered like a baby. She normally would have reprimanded such behavior but he was hurt and she knew how much those herbs stung, even on a small cut. But still, that was how they determined if they worked.

"Ursa!" the cub wailed as Ursa carried him back into the main chamber of the sanitarium, clutching her around the neck, "make it stop! It stings!"

Ursa squeezed him gently.

"I know Buddi. But that's how we tell if it works. We can patch you up now. Just hang in there. The pain will dull and then disappear, I promise."

Buddi nodded and tried to bite down the pain. Ursa smiled and fingered his hair as she sta him down. She gestured Grubbi over. He brought salves, ointments, and bindings over. He handed a few to ursa and then sat to work on the cub's frontal wounds while Ursa concentrated on the back.

Grubbi finished swiftly, being more experienced. Ursa had done her share of wound dressing as the cub had grown but these were profuse! Ursa noted Grubbi was finished, so she pressed Buddi down onto his stomach, making the wounds on his legs easier to reach.He had several minor wounds that would heal practically by morning

The few that were major were not life threatening.

As Ursa tied the last dressing, she pulled the cub up. She motioned for Grubbi to bring her something. The next thing Buddi knew, he was being dressed into his nightclothes, as if he were five again. But every movement hurt so he did not mind as much. But that did not mean that he didn't blush.

Buddi looked a Ursa. He tried to tell her what he saw but she put a finger over his lips and plucked him up to set him back down on one of the few beds they had in sickbay. Buddi's first impulse was to try and get up. But the mattress sank under his weight, like sand. The pillow caved in under his small head. Ursa pulled the sheets tight around him, saying,

"Rest Buddi. You lost a lot of blood. Rest and we'll talk later."

Buddi's eyes gave her a simple request. She smiled and with a nod, said,

"I won't leave, Buddi. I'll be right here when you wake up."

The cub started to protest, when Grubbi held a handful of broken stems under his nose. The child's vision slowly blurred. Then, sleep overwhelmed him and he dreamed.

* * *

Ashes, fire, smoke.

Trees, falling growing.

Darkness and red.

Darkness and red.

Smoke and blood.

Smoke and blood.

Blood, blood, and more blood.

"Evil comes again…"

Buddi screamed and sat straight up. Ursa, true to her word, was right by him and gathered him into her warm arms. He climbed into her lap, trembling. She asked,

"That dream again, Buddi?"

He nodded.

Ursa slowly stood up, Buddi still cradled in her arms. She walked out into the hall and down towards the main chamber. Buddi looked at her. She sighed,

"The others have been having the same dreams Buddi, although less clear. I have an announcement I need to make to all you."

Buddi just nodded and waited until they came into the room before looking up.

Ursa said swiftly, without preamble.

"We have to take action. So many dreams, so similar may be a coincidence but I cannot take the risk that they aren't. Gritty, Mari, Lundi, you go with me. Grubbi, until we get back, you lead."

Buddi tugged her sleeve. 

"What about me?"

Ursa hated herself for what she was about to say but she had to say it.

"You come with us, Buddi."

Gritty caught on. "Ursa, you don't think…"

She nodded. "We have to trail this problem back to its source, the place Buddi knows inside out.

Everyone paused and only Buddi could say it,

"Home, we're going back where Barbic Woods was."


	7. 

Chapter Seven: Homeward Bound

Chapter Seven: Homeward Bound 

Buddi groaned and whined,

"Ursa! The sun isn't even up! Why am I up?"

Ursa smiled and pulled Buddi's sheets off. He immediately curled into a ball by reflex to warm up. Ursa pulled him up. He looked at her with blurry eyes and rubbed them. He sighed and yawned with a stretch. Ursa patted his head.

"Come on, kid. Up. We need to get started early. We're hoping to get there in one day. So the earlier we get started the better chance we have."

Buddi gave her a small glare. 

"Not if you fall asleep on the way,"

Ursa shook her head. "Buddi, we've been up for two hours. I let you sleep in. get a hot bath. That'll wake you up. Then come down for breakfast. Okay?"

The cub nodded, still half asleep. "Yeah, okay. Sure."

Ursa smiled, ruffled his hair and then left, closing the door behind her. Buddi sighed, rubbed his eyes again and yawned. He could not understand how the adults did this. But he took Ursa's advice and got a warm bath. It did help, a bit. Maybe food would help more.

Buddi dressed quickly and headed downstairs. The other Barbics were awake as they usually got up at sunrise. But little Buddi wasn't used to being up this early. In fact, he was barely awake. Granted, as he walked, he woke up bit by bit but he was still pretty much out. Ursa met him at the bottom of the stairs and gave him a smile.

"You'll wake up Buddi. A little sugar might help, though."

Buddi looked at her, eyes practically pleading.

She chuckled and led the child into the dining room. She handed him a plate piled high with hot food and gestured him to sit down and eat. Buddi complied and Ursa sat down by him. The other adults were finishing and gradually filing out. But Ursa had waited so Buddi wouldn't have to eat alone.

Buddi was grateful for the company but Ursa had another reason behind it as well. A reason all mothers have…

"Buddi, eat them." Buddi was shoving some fruits around, diced meaches. They tasted a tad like peaches and Buddi hated them. But Ursa knew that they had energy nutrients and minerals so she made him eat them.

Buddi made a face and said, "But they taste nasty, Ursa."

Ursa smiled and said, "I know you don't like them, Buddi." She took a bite of them herself. They were good to her. But she knew when she was Buddi's age she hated to eat them too. "But you need the nutrients they have especially today. So eat them."

The cub made a terrible face but shoved some into his mouth. He downed them first and then went onto the plankins, meats and other foods. Ursa didn't let him leave the table until his plate was clean. Buddi was still amazed how she could be so stern at times and yet so motherly at others. 

The two Barbics started outside and were met by Grubbi. 

"Well, ready for action, you two?" he asked, a small smile in his eyes. Ursa smiled back and nodded, Buddi mimicked her. Grubbi knelt to the cub's level and said, 

"Keep Ursa from doing anything stupid okay?"

Ursa scowled but then laughed. She knew Grubbi wasn't serious. Then, seriousness took over his face. "Be careful Ursa. And take care of that cub." He smiled. "I highly doubt I have to tell you that, though. Am I right?"

Ursa nodded and gave Grubbi's hand a firm grip as goodbye. He nodded and she walked out. Buddi hugged the adult around the waist. Grubbi gave him a wink and then slipped him something. He looked at the adult. Grubbi smiled.

"Don't tell Ursa. But it's some candy for you."

Buddi grinned widely. "Thanks."

Grubbi nodded. "Take care, Buddi."

Buddi nodded and ran to catch up with Ursa. He found her out in the courtyard where the others were getting supplies together. They ha don their heavy winter outfits. But just the pullovers. The pullovers covered the tops and their bottoms but could be remove dif need be. Ursa gestured Buddi over.

He consented.

Ursa pulled on some pants over his slacks and then slipped a pullover over his top. It was warm. Buddi looked at her. She smiled. "We'll be going over mountains. That'll keep you warm." Buddi nodded.

"Where'd you get them? I've never seen 'em before."

Ursa smiled. "I'm not totally sewing illiterate. I made them." 

Buddi stared at her. "You? You made these?"

She nodded. Buddi smiled. 

"Wonders never cease."

Ursa gave him a playful whack to the head. She scooped up her supplies and slipped them into a sack. She slipped that onto her back and then picked up a much lighter one. That, she helped Buddi put on. She told him,

"We all carry something Buddi. Since you're little I gave you the food, the lightest pack."

The cub nodded and followed her over to the others. The group stood a moment before heading out, Buddi on their heels.

* * *

"Here, Ursa!"

Ursa looked up as Gritty tossed her the rope. She grabbed hold of it, measured its strength and nodded to herself. But she was unnerved, this side was too steep.

They had been climbing for several hours and now were finally on the last major peak. But Buddi was having the most trouble. Ursa knew he feared heights. And this side was too steep for him. She knew it. She turned to the child.

He was looking upward, fear clearly present in his eyes. He had tightened the cloak she gave him to help past the sweater. She put a hand on Buddi's shoulder.

"This side's too steep for you to tackle, Buddi." She drew him to her, tied him with some spare rope she had to her, and told him, "I'll take us both up. Hang on."

"Don't have to tell me twice."

She checked to make sure he was secure and started upward. 

Buddi tightened his grip on Ursa, burying his face into her hip. He hated this. He was trembling, not from the cold but from fear. He didn't dare open his eyes. Ursa was unfazed of course but nothing fazed her and she didn't fear mountains as he did. If you fell from mountains, you were pretty much finished. But trees had better chances to save yourself. He swallowed hard and squeezed her tighter.

Ursa took another hand and pulled herself up some more. To her she was merely pulling herself, as Buddi was so insignificantly light to her. But she knew he was there by the way he tightened his grip as they went higher. She pitied him. She knew that he wished they could have gone around the mountains but this was fastest. She pulled herself higher and Gritty helped her up and took Buddi from his waist, saying,

"You can open your eyes, partner."

Buddi consented and was glad that Gritty had told him quietly. Although Mari and Lundi were kind they would tease him or put him down. Only Gritty, Ursa, and Grubbi didn't scold him about his fear of heights. Gritty cast it aside; Grubbi comforted and Ursa said she understood.

Ursa helped Buddi detangle from her rope and felt his belly rumble. He blushed and she gave his cheek a gentle dig with her fist. She turned to the others.

'Let's take a break. It's about noon anyway. We should eat."

They nodded and Ursa took Buddi's sack off and passed out some sandwiches. She sat near the center of the mountain, Buddi practically in her lap, he sat so close. She smiled and let him lean on her. The others were closer to edge and although the edge didn't frighten her, she knew it terrified Buddi and she didn't want him to have to eat alone.

The Barbics ate fast and soon were starting down the other side. Mari and Lundi went first, down a rope and then Gritty. Ursa turned to Buddi. 

"I'll be down there to help you, Buddi."

He nodded, refusing to let his fear show. But inside he was trembling.

Ursa gave him a nod back and disappeared down the side. A few minutes later, she called up,

"Your turn, Buddi."

The cub walked to edge but unfortunately saw how far it was and collapsed back onto the mountain, sick to his stomach with fear. Ursa saw and said,

"Come on Buddi. You can do this. We're here to help you."

Her answer was:

"My hands are too sweaty. I'll fall!"

Ursa sighed deeply and said,

"Buddi, look in your pouch in your cloak. I put chalk rock in there. Rub it on your hands to dry them and then come on.

The cub found it but he was still trembling. Slowly, he walked to the edge and took the rope in his hands. He went as the adults, had, backward, first one foot and then the next. His stomach was burning and cramping he was so scared. He'd never felt more relieved in his life then when Ursa grabbed him around the waist and helped him the rest of the way. 

Buddi clutched her. 

She rubbed his hair, her eyes looking at the child with sympathy. Gritty took the rope and headed down again with the other two. Buddi stammered,

"I'm sorry Ursa. I embarrassed you didn't I? I mean, you raised me-"

"AM raising," she reminded him. 

"You are raising me," he stated again, "I'm supposed to be tough but I completely freaked out."

Ursa merely smiled. He always worried about how she thought about him. When would he learn that nothing he did would make her regret she was his guardian? That nothing could diminish her pride for him?

But she said nothing but,

"Let's go, Buddi."

He swallowed and followed her to the edge. She stopped, paused, rope in hand. She turned to Buddi, who's face was white with fear. With a sigh but a nod of understanding, she opened her arm and he threw his arms around her neck. They went down together, Buddi, holding tight to Ursa.

He said softly,

"This is going to be a really long journey, isn't it?"

Ursa smiled. 

"Just hang on, Buddi."

He forced a smile. "Believe me, I don't plan on letting go."


	8. Shocking the Heart

Chapter Eight: Shocking the Heart

Chapter Eight: Shocking the Heart

It was close to sunset when they finally made it over the mountains. Ursa had carried Buddi down the steep cliffs and the ones near the top. When they got to the ones about half way down, Buddi did it himself but Ursa still stayed close. She knew he felt a reassurance with her there.

When Buddi finally stepped on solid ground again, level ground, he was near tears with relief. Ursa took his hand and dragged him after the others. She had understood on the cliffs but now that she was on the ground again, her sternness returned. 

The group walked in silence, not saying anything. Buddi stayed by Ursa and Gritty, in-between them. The adults kept the cub close. There were dangers around Barbic Woods that Buddi hadn't been aware of. There were snakes, poisonous animals and of course, the wolves.

Buddi on the other hand, had no intention of leaving them. He knew there were dangers. Any fool could see that. Ursa kept her hand near her sword's hilt. Gritty did the same. Buddi wished he's brought his bow but that would have been too difficult. The only weapon he had was a spear and his wits.

Unless he counted Ursa.

By sunset, the adults stopped for a minute. Ursa and Gritty drew some hard wood from their sacks and lit some torches.Now Buddi had to stay by them. They had the light. Without them, he was blind and could only hear, smell, and touch. Taste would not do much good.

It was getting cold. Buddi stayed by Ursa as the faint heat from her torch helped. They had put their winter clothes away. The adults seemed fine. But then they had long cloaks. He didn't have one. 

Ursa glanced at Buddi, still at her side, her little 'shadow.' On their way fleeing Barbic Woods, the others had dubbed him, "Ursa's Little Shadow" because he never left her side. Now, it was happening again.

He was rubbing his arms, shivering. Although no normal person could hear so well, Ursa heard the cub's teeth start to chatter. She herself was warm. The torch was making her hot with her cloak. She smiled and grabbed Buddi's arm. He looked at her.

"Cold, Buddi?"

The cub looked at her with an are-you-kidding-me-whatta-you-think-look. She chuckled and took her own cloak off. The night air was not as brutal to her. She was both older and because of her genes, her fur was thicker than Buddi's. Her hair kept her neck and shoulders warm. 

Ursa propped her torch up on the ground and tied her cloak tight around Buddi. It was much too big but that merely added more warmth as Ursa doubled layered it so that it wouldn't drag on the ground. Buddi snuggled into it, his eyes saying, "Thank you." But he voiced it anyway,

"Thanks."

Ursa nodded and got her torch. 

They went on.

It was getting dark. Buddi didn't fear the dark as a general rule but the woods did scare him at night when he was on the ground. In Barbic Woods, it hadn't scared him because he was high in the trees and Ursa was in the room across from him. 

So he stuck like glue to her.

The night wore on, soon the sounds of night came out. Buddi moved from Ursa until she and Gritty flanked him. Ursa could tell he was nervous but chose not to say anything. 

Suddenly, her keen ears picked up a distinctive rustling. She turned to Gritty who nodded. She reached out and grabbed Buddi's elbow.

"Hang on, I hear something."

Buddi followed her eyes. They finally fell on a far bush. The bushes crackled. Buddi held Ursa around the elbow of her free arm. She drew her sword with the other. Buddi always got nervous when she did that. It was something bad if Ursa drew her blade. She was typically strong enough to handle anything bare handed. 

Then he heard the growl. Ursa turned to Gritty.

"Gritty, wolves. Get Buddi out of here."

"I'm not leaving you alone, Ursa."

"Gritty!"

"Ursa!"

Buddi looked at her. She said tensely,

"Buddi, go. Meet up with Lundi and Mari. We'll be there in a minute."

Buddi was scared for her. He didn't want her hurt, shielding him. He swallowed.

"But…Ursa…"

"Buddi! I don't have time to argue. Just do it!"

The cub ran, calling, "Promise me you'll come."

He received no answer.

The cub finally caught up with the other adults.

He said nothing but did allude that Ursa wanted them to wait. The child took the opportunity to sit and rub his feet, which hurt. But inwardly, he was dying. He was worried. He knew Ursa had a better chance than any of them; that chance quadrupled because Gritty was with her. 

The cub waited with the adults. It was a while but then, Buddi heard branches part and Ursa and Gritty walked back to the group. The adults looked a bit winded but fine physically. Ursa jerked her head and they took off again as if nothing happened. 

Buddi ran to Ursa, almost as if he would tackle her but then eh remembered that Ursa and the other adults were not big huggers or displayers of emotion. Especially not in front on each other. So he grabbed her around the waist, a faint squeeze. Ursa seemed all right with that. But she peeled his arms from her, grabbed him by the elbow and walked on.

They walked on, farther. Ursa stuck closer to Buddi though. Or rather, she forced him to stay close to her.

It was around one o'clock when Buddi started to stumble. It had passed midnight and he'd been fine but now as the early morning hours rolled around, the cub started to slow, to be dragged more than to follow.

Finally, Ursa asked,

"Buddi? Are you alright?"

The cub looked at her, rubbed his eyes and stifled a yawn. He looked at her and said, wearily,

"I'm okay. Just a little tired."

Ursa nodded, tightened her grip on his arm and walked on. They had another two hours to go, at the very least. A more reasonable time frame was three to four hours. Buddi would just have to cope. They couldn't stop when they were this close to the destination.

For an hour or so, there was silence. Then, Ursa started forward only to have something stop her. Turning around, she spied Buddi leaning against one of the dune in this plane and yawning wildly. His eyes had acquired large circles under them. She smiled faintly and took off her sack and tossed it to gritty. She knelt down to sit on her knees and removed Buddi's sack. She dug some thick rope form it and tossed the empty sack to Gritty as well. The Barbic knew what she was planning and with a small smile went to tell the others to wait.

Buddi stared at Ursa.

"Ursa? What-" she silenced him by slipped a finger over his lips. She gestured for Buddi to climb on her back. Buddi was baffled but did do, wrapping his legs around her waist. Ursa took some of the rope and slipped it around Buddi's lower back and tied it on her stomach. That secured Buddi to her. She pushed the cub's face onto her shoulder, in her soft hair. She said softly,

"Sleep Buddi. You're tired."

The cub's first thought was to protest but his exhaustion overwhelmed his pride swiftly and he closed his eyes, his face warmed by Ursa's hair. He closed his eyes and inhaled Ursa's scent. In moments he was asleep. Ursa smiled, rubbed his face and walked to catch up with the others.

Gritty smiled as he watched his best friend walk up, a cub hoisted on her back. But she still could walk without slouching. Buddi's weight was insignificant to her. But he couldn't resist…

"Carrying some extra weight, Ursa?"

The Barbic leader gave him a tolerant smile. She said softly, "He's a Barbic but he's a child. He's tired. Let him sleep."

Gritty nodded and the group went on. Occasionally Buddi would stir but as a general rule, he slept soundly. Then, slowly the adults emerged where Barbic Woods had been.

A loud gasp escaped every throat. 

It was reformed. 

Every tree was there, every leaf. The river was flowing by their feet and they heard the comforting sound of the small waterfall by the swimming hole. The tall trees stretched so their leaves hide the sky. Ursa looked pale, sick. Gritty went to her, put his hands on her shoulders. Ursa swallowed, heart pounding.

Gently, she reached up and moved Buddi's head a bit saying,

"Buddi? Buddi? Wake up. We're home."

End of Part One 

To Be Continued….


End file.
